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Shalom from Jerusalem!
I trust that this finds you well. We are enjoying the warmer summer weather here in Israel, sunflowers are blooming across the country and it is watermelon season!
In this latest edition of the News Scroll we will share with you about the long-awaited Empowered 21 Global Congress here in Jerusalem last month, a new exhibition at the Bible Lands Museum and much more!
Please feel free to share this with your family and friends.
God Bless,
Samuel Smadja
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BreezoMeter
A new, free app for Israel and the USA has been developed by
Israeli environmental engineers to allow you to measure the air quality wherever you are for the very first time - in real time right
from your cellphone. The idea was conceived when several of the BreezoMeter team wanted to relocate to where the air was cleanest for their families. The app uses weather data and other air information quality systems to inform you of the current, local air quality in addition to offering health advice such as "Now is best time to exercise in the fresh air".
The company headquarters are in Haifa and in 2014, it won the Global Entrepreneurship Week's StartUp Open Israel Competition. It was named one of the World's Top 50 Most Promising Startups (the GEW50) which in turn led the team to be invited to the White House for the Global Emerging Entrepreneurs Event last month. This is likely to become a highly popular tool as pollution levels increase worldwide. As Breezometer says: "Because breathing matters".
Cure for Terminal Cancer
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Story courtesy of Nocamels, Channel 10 News
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A breakthrough in immunology (the study of the body's immune system) during clinical trials of a new drug combination has led to the discovery that 58% of terminally-ill patients within the study were cured by either shrinkage of cancerous tumors (melanoma- skin cancer) or the tumors disappeared completely.
A recently developed new class of medications was used which uses the body's own immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Melanoma is the deadliest of skin cancers and although this treatment is still in test stages, Israeli researcher Prof. Jacob Schachter remarked that this groundbreaking discovery can offer hope to many families. He suggests that this pharmaceutical combination may replace chemotherapy in the future due to it's success rate and that the side effects are considerably less than chemotherapy with improved survival rates.
Herod's Palace: a grand walkway
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Image courtesy of National Geographic
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King Herod the Great is known as one of the "greatest builders in Jewish history"; his palaces and fortress such as Masada and Caesarea Maritima, continue to amaze today. One of his most famous works was the expansion of the Second Temple and his tomb is also built within yet another architectural wonder: Herodium, the distinct hill between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Herodium is comprised of the remains of a large palace, a huge pool more than two times the size of a modern-day Olympic pool, race track and service quarters amongst other structures.
Israeli archaeologists have recently unearthed a great, arched walkway that has been mysteriously buried and covered over. It is believed to have been designed for his burial procession but that King Herod changed his mind and ordered it to be covered, and so it has remained until this past year. This discovery has consequently caused historians and archaeologists to believe that he intended the entire place to be his mausoleum. According to the dig leader Roi Porat, one of the reasons this finds is so exciting is that typically, archeology confirms what is already known from history. In this case, the discovery is something that was never recorded in writing and was previously unknown. This part of Herodium is expected to open to the public in 2016, we wait with anticipation!
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The Bible Lands Museum
 When visiting Israel, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of museums and exhibitions. However, for the history lover and amateur archaeologist alike, there is no place quite like the Bible Lands Museum, situated adjacent to the Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.
The Bible Lands Museum features a permanent exhibition of original art and artifacts, which span more than 10,000-years of history, including many first and second temple-era antiquities discovered throughout Israel. From the moment visitors enter the museum, they are transported back in time to the Middle East of the Stone Age. Pre-historic tools, vessels, and weapons provide a fascinating glimpse into the developing cultures of the region.
Gallery after gallery, centuries of history are unrolled with stunning and compelling displays of artwork, pottery, weaponry, and literature. From the Cannanite peoples, to the age of Father Abraham and the patriarchs; our time of sojourning in Egypt, to the rise and fall of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel; from the Babylonian captivity, to the Greek and Roman occupations - each exhibit brings you face to face with the tangible remains of our rich and fascinating past.
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Images and excerpt on "By the Rivers of Babylon" courtesy of the Bible Lands Museum
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In addition to the permanent galleries, the Bible Lands Museum offers a rotation of special exhibits. One such exhibition currently at the Museum reveals important new evidence of the Babylonian destruction of the Temple and the lives of the Judean Exiles. According to the Museum, 'By the Rivers of Babylon' takes a never-before-seen look at the Babylonian Exile and its indelible impact on the Jewish people. Four generations of one family share their moving story; from the destruction of Jerusalem and expulsion from Judah to their exile and settlement in Babylonia. Discover what it took to establish the vibrant Jewish community in Babylonia, and experience their daily lives on the banks of the river, filled with the eternal yearning for Zion.
If you are interested in visiting the Bible Lands Museum, please have your agent contact our office.
Jerusalem Light Fesitval
The beginning of June brings with it the annual Light Festival in Jerusalem. For one week, artists from around the world display their creations of light throughout the Old City. Four trails run through the four quarters of the city; red, green, blue and white, Armenian, Arab, Christian and Jewish.
The streets throng with visitors from all over Israel, international tourists and locals, all deciding which path to follow first and which exhibition is their favorite.
This year Jerusalem was transformed into a beacon of light. The famous Harp bridge at the entrance to the capital was decorated with a huge Star of David that changed color along with the strings of the bridge themselves, marking the opening of the Festival. On the Damascus Gate, projections of local children's drawings transformed the old stones into a display of youthful color. In the Armenian quarter, an Israeli sand artists' live work was projected upon the Ottoman era walls.
Huge, multi-color jellyfish, a field of light flowers and large floral sculptures were also featured in the festival in addition to a light presentation on the various former leaders of Israel and a cinematic journey along the old city walls.
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Images courtesy of Light in Jerusalem
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Empowered 21's Jerusalem Global Congress
 The long-awaited and highly-anticipated Empowered 21 2015 Global Congress was held here in Jerusalem last month. A week of praise, worship, teaching and touring culminated on Pentecost Sunday in the new Pais Arena, Jerusalem. A total of 4,000 people from over 62 different nations gathered together to celebrate Pentecost over 2000 years after the very first Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred in this very city!
Session speakers included: Dr. George Wood, Dr. William Wilson, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Claudio Freidzon, Daniel Kolenda, Cindy Jacobs, Christine Caine, Marilyn Hickey, Rev. John Francis, Rev. Lawrence Khong, Pastor Niko Njotorahardjo and many more. Blessed times of praise and worship were led by worship leaders from around the world including: Ana Paula from Brazil, Paul Wilbur, Planet Shakers and Integrity Music. If you missed this incredible event, this video clip shows some of the main highlights.  The day before Pentecost Sunday (or as we say in Hebrew; Shavuot), a unity service on the banks of the Jordan river promoted unity throughout the Body worldwide. Believers gathered on both the Israeli and Jordan sides of the Jordan river and many took the opportunity to be baptized at the site that is considered to be closest to where Yeshua (Jesus) was baptized by John. Throughout the afternoon continual praise, worship and messages given by different speakers allowed people attending the event to join with their brothers and sisters in worship at this unique place.
According to a recent E21 press release, the Global Congress sessions were watched via live stream more than 22,000 times from 114 countries. Millions more were able to watch the Congress through  the many broadcast partners that carried the event. Thousands of others more will be impacted as parts of the congress are re-aired in the future on Trinity Broadcasting Network. An international press corp of 14 journalists produced dozens of stories for the world to read about Jerusalem2015. The total media impressions of God's work through the Global Congress and Empowered21 during the week surpassed 269 million. We at Sar-El would like to thank you for joining us here in Jerusalem. It was a privilege to serve you and we thank you for celebrating the Feast of Pentecost here in Jerusalem together with Empowered 21 and Sar-El Tours. 
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Dear Friends,
Shalom and greetings to you from Jerusalem! I hope that you have enjoyed this latest newsletter.
The fig trees in Israel grew their leaves several months ago and near to our office is a fig tree with fruit already ripe; summer is here. "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near." (Matthew 24:32)
When Yeshua spoke these words to His disciples, He was illustrating specific points that He had spoken of previously: His prediction of the destruction of the Temple and the Second Coming of Messiah. These verses are well known to many of us and there are many lessons that we can take from these scriptures, but today I would like to think about seasons.
How do we know what season of life we are in? The last birthday celebration might be a reminder, or a new job or retirement, the birth of a child or grandchild, passing an exam: all these are signs of different times in life. We are daily reminded that "time waits for no man". I want to encourage you that
"to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). You may be approaching a new season in life, be in the middle, or even waiting to finish. Sometimes we are just waiting, not even sure what season we are in or what lies ahead.
Job expressed it this way:
"Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat! I would know the words which He would answer me and understand what He would say to me...when He works on the left hand, I cannot perceive Him, when He works on the right hand, I cannot perceive Him. But He knows the way I take. When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold...For He performs what is appointed for me..." (Job 23: 2-5,9,10,14).
We can be encouraged that the Lord knew the situation of Job and "performed what was appointed for him". Similarly, just as He was with Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David and so many others who had long periods of waiting, He knows "what is appointed for us" and "performs it" in His timing.
"He knows the plans that He has for us"(Jeremiah 29:11), and all our days He knows:
"...in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them"
(Psalm 139:16).
The fig leaves mark the beginning of summer and as they fall we know winter will come soon. God gives us signs in this world such as the leaves on the fig tree to remind us that seasons change. It is the same in our lives, He gives us signs sometimes to guide us, to encourage us that He is present or to remind us that He is in control.
As we enter the summer season here in Israel, let us be encouraged that
"Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles', they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31). If you are waiting, trust in the Lord and rest in the knowledge that He is faithful
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Blessings,
Samuel Smadja
Owner and President of Sar-El
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Copyright ? 2011 Sar-El Tours & Conferences. All Rights Reserved.
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